The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for treating subterranean formations with particulate diverting agents.
Treatment fluids can be used in a variety of subterranean treatment operations. As used herein, the terms “treat,” “treatment,” “treating,” and grammatical equivalents thereof refer to any subterranean operation that uses a fluid in conjunction with achieving a desired function and/or for a desired purpose. Use of these terms does not imply any particular action by the treatment fluid. Illustrative treatment operations can include, for example, fracturing operations, gravel packing operations, acidizing operations, scale dissolution and removal, consolidation operations, and the like.
In hydraulic fracturing treatments, a fracturing fluid is injected through a wellbore into the surrounding formation at a sufficient pressure to fracture the formation adjacent to the wellbore, creating a fracture network for fluid to flow through the formation back to the wellbore. This generally stimulates the flow of fluids (e.g., hydrocarbon fluids) from the formation into the wellbore.
Generally, fracturing treatment in a rock formation can create long and continuous dominant fractures placed on opposing sides of the wellbore, e.g., a bi-wing type fracture. However, it may not be feasible to create such fractures in many carboniferous shale formations. These shale formations typically have finely laminated structures that are easily fragmented or disjointed into randomly distributed pieces. Therefore, creating an effective fracture network in these formations can be an issue.
Efforts have been made to increase shattering or splintering of the formations and overall connectivity of the fracture network. For example, diverting agents, such as particulate materials, have been used to block larger fractures, or zones of higher permeability, in a formation in order to attempt to level the permeability of the formation to a nearly uniform state. However, using these diverting techniques often have additional costs.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted, such embodiments do not imply a limitation on the disclosure, and no such limitation should be inferred. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this disclosure. The depicted and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not exhaustive of the scope of the disclosure.